Apparatus for the preparation of surgical gloves



Jan. 19, 1965 H. DENNHOFER APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF SURGICALGLOVES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13. 1961 IN VENT OF? R M f, r E a DW m P my? w Jan. 19, 1965 H. DENNHOFER APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OFSURGICAL GLOVES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13. 1961 IN VENT OPIL/E/NP/CH .DENM/OFER Jan. 19, 1965 H. DENNHOFER APPARATUS FOR THEPREPARATION OF SURGICAL. GLOVES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 13, 1961United States Patent 3,166,439 APPARATUS FOR THE PREPARATION OF SURGICALGLOVES Heinrich Dennhofer, Rodenkirchen, near Cologne, Germany, assignorto Heinrich Dennhofer, Rodenkirchen, near Cologne, Germany, a firm FiledMar. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 95,404 Claims priority, application Switzerland,Mar. 17, 1960, 2,9%/6tl 9 Claims. (Cl. 118-9) The invention refers to anapparatus for the preparation of surgical gloves.

The washing of surgical gloves is usually done by hand which requiresthe glove to be turned. In some cases washing machines are in use, inwhich also the gloves must be turned by hand for a good cleaning in areasonable length of time. It is rarely possible to take advantage ofthe full capacity of the washing machine because gloves of first quality(practically new gloves) and those of second quality (gloves usedseveral times) for reasons of safety should be treated separately.

The examination of gloves to locate faults is carried out by blowing-upthe glove with air, then holding it tight to determine if any airescapes. Whether the blowing-up ensues without or with technicalmechanism this procedure is unsafe, because the escape of air throughpin-holes is invisible and only to be detected by laboriousfeeling-tests.

The drying of the gloves is usually done by hanging up the glove andturning it inside out after the drying of the outer side. Alsomechanically driven drying-drums are in use, in which hot air is blownin. Because wet gloves stick more or less together, the drying air hasdifficulty in penetrating into the gloves. The chance that hot airpenetrate up the fingers is very little. Therefore often fingertips arestill moist even after a 60 minute drying period.

To eliminate the great inconvenience by the powdering process if glovesare not regularly dried, they have to be turned inside out by hand andto be placed again into the drying-drum.

The gloves are powdered inside and outside. The inside-powderingfacilitates to putting on of the gloves. The outside powdering is toeliminate the sticking together of the gloves during the sterilizingprocess. The powdering is usually done by hand, it being absolutelynecessary to distribute the powder as evenly as possible. Powder isspread on a table, the glove pulled on both sides through the powder,then turned inside out and this process repeated. This proceeding isprimitive as well for the regulating the quantity as for the equaldistribution of the powder on the glove itself. Besides that, thismethod is annoying because of powder-dust and for the staff this dustmay even be noxious for their health.

Too much powder in the fingertips impairs the touch of the operator. Atoo thick layer of powder in the glove endangers also the proper resultof the sterilization, due to the fact, that the sterilizing-time forrubber-goods is usually as short as possible. There is no other regularsterilizing material which contains more of the highly resistant nativespores of earth than the powder.

For some time researches have been made to improve this ever soprimitive method. One result is a powdering machine with rotating drumsin a closed case in which is put the powder too. It is assumed thatpowder will be distributed equally even in the fingertips by therotating movement. But actually this equal distribution is completelyleft to chance, so that this well-known mechanical method represents infact no improvement of the manual method. Even with an exact dose ofpowder in the drum there is no assurance of a uniform distribution inthe gloves.

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The deficiency of this mechanical method, compared with the manualmethod, is so important that well-known doctors have strictly forbiddenthe powdering of gloves in rotating drums. Besides the powderingmachines are usually not absolutely dustproof, and, in gathering thegloves from the machine, during the selection by sizes, and, in puttingthem into the sterilizing box, there is the same annoyance withpowderdust and the noxious effect for the staff.

There is no gain of time in using a powdering machine with arotatingdrum, because the powdering and the selection by sizes are two differentprocesses, whereas these two processes are done in one action by themanual method.

The sterilization of rubber gloves is carried out by steam under highpressure in sterilizing boxes. The steam has to reach quickly and safelyall insides and outsides of the gloves. A short sterilizing time is veryimportant for the life of the thin rubber. The sterilizing-effect isonly obtained if steam reaches the inside of the fingertips properly,because this part may be damaged during the operation, especially at thesuture.

In the usual sterilizing boxes the gloves lying in the box are separatedby layers of mull or filterpaper, or they are hung up with pegs, openingdownward. In both cases airing is insufficient. This disadvantage mayonly be compensated by a longer sterilizing time with a consequentincrease in the wear and tear on the rubber gloves.

For that reason practically all steam sterilizers built for temperaturesof 134 Celsius and 2.4 atm. pressure have to be equipped with acommutation device for C. and 1 atm. which is used only forsterilization of gloves. How paradoxical this is, from the point of viewof sterilization, may be proved by the fact that many hospitals haveeliminated their sterilizers with only 1.2 atm. working-pressure andreplaced them by sterilizers for 2.4 atm.

Surgical rubber gloves are far more difficult to sterilize than forinstance textiles. The sterilization of rubber gloves called the breakin the asepsis has been recognized by those who put the gloves over ahand rack with the result of a quick and good airing and consequently ofa perfect sterilization. But putting gloves on the presently known racksrequired too much time and therefore the method never became familiar inpractice.

These presently known racks were made of wire in hand form or stiffmetal or Bakelite-hands and have been used only for the sterilizingprocess. Attempts were made to facilitate the difficult task of pullingthe glove 'over a stiff rack by making racks with articulated fingers.Even at relatively low temperatures the fingertips of the gloves weresubmitted to a high degree of wear and tear by hanging on the tips ofthe metal rack. At high temperatures-as they are used today forsterilization-the fingers of the gloves burn and stick on the metal'racktips. Another disadvantage is the fact that the thin rubber of gloves issqueezed in the finger-articulations of the rack, making the foregoingcontrol of holes useless, because damage is caused afterwards. .Theseracks, useful only for sterilization, were never introduced in practice.

To take the gloves fromthe sterilizing box is by all actually usedmethods still a problem, laborious and uncertain. The sterile operatingnurse has to take from the sterilizing box (whose outer sides arenonsterile) the sterile gloves. This is particularly difficult when theglove lies near the bottom of the box and the nurse. has to do thishandling and the picking-out of the size demanded as quick as possible.i V

The foregoing described procedures of preparation of rubber gloves formedical use are laborious, unrational,

uncertain, non-hygienic and even noxious for health, in

11.3 one word: imperfect! Not one of the known hand racks makes itpossible to carry out other procedures, and even for that single onethey are unsuitable.

All these disadvantages, described in detail, are eliminated with thenew invention.

According to the invention, the rubber glove is put over a hollow rackconsisting of five flexible fingers with open tips and on the other endsassembled in a hollow cone which makes it possible to connect differenttreatmentdevices, for instance water-connection for washing, compressedair for testing, warm air for drying, a connection for powdering, andfinally a part for the sterilization by high-pressure steam in astandard sterilizing box.

The rubber glove has to be put over the rack only once for all followingprocedures (washing, testing, drying, powdering selection, sterilizing,storage and removal). The introduction of the present hand rack is easyand extremely quick. The flexible fingers are first squeezed together,then released so that they slip automatically in the fingers of theglove. Furthermore the introduction is facilitated because the rack ismade of plastic which glides easily even on wet rubber.

The cone on the back-end of the rack is-clue to a special form ofexecution according to the invention stuck on an adapter with a shellwith rolled edge. The cuff of the glove is pulled over the rolled edgeof the adapter to be held thereon. The shell is provided with two holesnecessary for the different procedures. The adapter is provided with asecond cone under the shell to be stuck on the connection of thedifferent treatment devices.

For washing the glove, it is put on the rack with the adapter and stuckon the tube-system of the washingdevice to be rinsed inside and outsidewith cold and warm water through spray-nozzles.

For testing, with the glove still on the rack, the adapter is connectedto the compressed air conduit. This connection is provided with tworubber-tips to close automatically the two holes in the shell of theadapter. The compressed air is admitted only after introduction of theglove into a so-called control-basket made of a nylon-net with a metalframe, which is placed in a basin under water. The ring opening of thebasket forms a close contact between the glove-cuff and the basket.Within the testingbasket the glove is only able to inflate to a certaindegree, which makes it possible to test under high pressure.Consequently this high pressure is equally distributed in the glove andgives a perfect control right up to the fingertips even for pin-holeswhich are easily recognized by air-bubbles in the water.

After the testing the gloves are stuck complete with rack and adapter onthe warm-air drying device. The warm air passes through the hollow rackto the open tips and returns between the rack and the inside of theglove to the bottom of the shell where it is exhausted through the twoholes. A continuous warm air-stream sweeps regularly over the wholeinside of the glove. The glove doesnt touch the rack because theair-stream is slightly retarded by the exit opening, and therefore theglove becomes inflated. This fact together with the tight fixation onthe shell of the adapter produces a quick and regular drying of thegloves.

The glove, remaining on the rack and adapter, is then stuck on thepowdering nozzle. The construction of the invention is such that, bypressing a button, an impulse releases a compressed air stream. Thecompressed air blows down in the powder-container and whirls up thepowder which is blown through two connecting-tubes fitting tightly inthe two holes of the shell into the glove. The air/powder-mixture sweepsall over the inside of the glove right up to the finger-tips. Aconcentration of powder in the fingertips is impossible, due to the factthat the air-flow displaces the air in the glove into the hollow rackproducing a certain circulation. This circulation makes it possible, byvarying the duration of the air-flow, to apply a feeble or intense, butin any case an absolutely uniform powdering.

Inapplying the present powdering-device the gloves are only powdered onthe inside, and powdering on the outside, undesirable from the medicalpoint of view, is eliminated. It is no longer necessary to useresorbable powder. The external powdering is not even necessary to avoidthe sticking together during the sterilization, because this annoyanceis impossible by the present device.

During the powdering process the gloves are selected by sizes. Thestretched suit on the shell of the adapter makes it easy to recognizethe size number printed on the glove. While the glove sticks on thepowdering nozzle, it is enclosed in a coloured protecting bag. Eachcolour of bag identifies a size. Then, with one motion, the glove withthe hollow rack in the protecting bag is taken off from the adapterwithout producing the slightest powder dust, which is instead suckedback into the powder-container.

For the sterilization the hollow rack without the adapter remains in theglove and is placed with the protecting bag lying down or standing up inthe sterilizing box. The hollow rack prevents the gloves from beingcompressed and permits a perfect airing so that steam reaches quicklythe insides and outsides of the gloves.

The glove on the hollow rack according to the invention needs only ashort sterilizing time at 134 Celsius and 2.4 atm. pressure without morewear and tear than at low temperature and longer sterilizing time. Thegloves, sterilized on the rack in the protecting bag, are taken in theclosed sterilizing box to the operating theater. The gloves on the rackof the invention reach above the edge of the sterilizing box and may betaken off easily without touching the non-sterile outside of the box.The coloured protecting bags permit an immediate identification of thedesired size. Furthermore the bags make it possible to grasp in betweenthe piles without contaminating the gloves, and the sterilizing box mayremain open during the operation.

Only an instant before use the rack is taken off from the glove byholding the bag at the top together with the fingertips of the gloves sothat the rack slips out of the glove and bag and can be picked up withthe other hand. The drawing represents a form of the invention:

FIG. 1 shows a front-view of the hollow rack according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the testing device;

FIG. 3a shows the adapter from above;

FIG. 3b shows a cross-section through the adapter on the line BB of thedrawing 3a;

FIG. 3c shows a cross-section through the adapter on the line AA of thedrawing 3a;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through the powdering device with thehollow rack and glove stuck on;

FIG. 5 shows another execution of the powdering device.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing the fingers 1 of the rack are hollow throughoutand open at the tips. They end in, spherical tips 2 which facilitate theintroduction of the rack into the glove. On the other end the hollowfingers are fixed separately in a hollow cone 3 which may be stuck ondevices with inner cones for the difi'erent treatments.

Through the air-openings 3a in the cone 3 warm air sweeps over the cufiof the glove and reduces the drying time. The wedge piece 33 holds thefingers of the rack in necessary straddled position and gives to thethree middle fingers a supplementary stability. Corresponding to thechoice of wedge pieces 38 it is possible to vary the size of the handracks. The colours of the wedge pieces 38 in union with the similarlycoloured other parts of the racks enables more combinations to identifythe different applications.

FIG. 2 shows the control device before the blowing in of compressed air.The hollow rack it) sticks with its cone 3 in the adapter 5 and isprovided with the rubber glove 8 whose cult is pulled over the rollededge 6 of the adapter-shell 5. The adapter 5 sticks with its outer conein the inner cone of the connecting device for compressed air 27 andwhich is regulated by a valve (not shown). The connecting device 26 isprovided with two rubber tips 28 to close the two holes '7 in theadapter 5. The sealing occurs when the connecting device 26 with thestuck-on adapter 5 is pressed against the ring opening 29 and becomestight. The ring 29 is secured to the testing bag 30 and both togetherfixed with anchors 31 on the bottom of the testing basin 32 so that itremains as much as possible under the Water-level. For betterillustration the testing bag is partly in section on the drawing. Ininflating the rubber glove 8 with compressed air, the testing bageliminates too strong expansion or bursting of the glove. Therefore itis possible to apply quite high pressure. Air bubbles identify easilyall flaws, even pin holes.

FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c show the adapter 5 with the shell 6 and the holes 7.The adapter 5'serves as junction between the cone 3 of the rack and thenozzles of the devices for the difierent treatments. The gloves cult 8is pulled over the rolled edge of the shell 6. The holes 7 serve for theexhaust and retarding of. the warm air during the drying process, aswell as to introduce the powder tubes in the powdering process.

FIG. 4 illustrates the powdering device together with the rack 10. Therack is provided with a glove 8 with its open end pulled over the rollededge of the shell 6. The hollow cone 3 of the rack 10 sticks in theadapter 5 which itself sticks in the nozzle 12 of the powdering device.The nozzle 12 leads as a channel-in which the motor 14 with propeller 15is fixed-to the lowerpart of the powder container 13 in which the powder34 is stored. From the powder container 13'the two powder tubes 9 extendon both sides of the adapter 5 through the holes 7 into the glove 8. Theair stream produced by the propeller 15 on the motor 14 whirls thepowder and brings it up thr'ough'the tubes 9 into the glove 8 where itsweeps along the inside up to the fingertips of the rack 10 from whereit returns inside the rack downward to the propeller 15.

This produces a thin regular layer of powder on the inside of the glove8. In front of the openings of the powder tubes 9 the flap valves 16which control rods 17 and the return spring 18 are fixed. By stickingthe adapter 5 on the nozzle the air stream will be released.

Simultaneously the stirring device 37 is put in action by means of theconnecting rod 35 and the lever 36, to recollect the powder 34 andreplace it under the blowing hole. Consequently the powdering eliectremain absolutely uniform for all gloves. 4

Another form of construction of the powdering device is shown in FIG. 5.The powder is stored in the powder container 19 in which air is blownfrom underneath by a bellows 20 through the blowing tubes 21. The airstream whirls up the powder and leads it through the powder tubes 9 intothe glove 8. As described by FIG. 4 the glove is powdered uniformly. Therecoil-flaps 23 on the blowing tubes 21 eliminate a floating backwardsof the air. A filter 25 prevents the powder dust from spreading out inthe room.

I claim:

1. A device for handling gloves during testing, washing, drying, dustingand the like comprising a hollow base portion having an upper end and alower end and an outer wall and being open at its lower end, the outerwall of the base portion tapering outwardly as it extends upwardly awayfrom the lower end, a plurality of flexible plastic laterally closedfinger-receiving members extending from the upper end of the baseportion having passages therethrough from end to end communicating withthe space within the base portion and opening at the tips of themembers, said base being connectible to difierent types of apparatus byengagement of the base over a tapered receiving member of the apparatus.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the fingerreceiving membershave enlargements on the outside thereof adjacent the tips. 1

3. Apparatus for testing gloves comprising a device as claimed in claim1, a vat for water, a frame of screenlike material within the vat andhaving its axis slanting with respect to the vertical, means for holdingsaid device within the frame, and means to supply air under pressure tosaid hollow space.

4. In apparatus as'claimed in claim 3, in which said frame has a ring atits upper end, a tapered receiving portion complementary to the spacewithin said base portion with at least one passage therethroughcommunicating with said space, a projecting cup-shaped flange aroundsaid receiving portion opening toward the smaller end thereof, the freeedge of said cup-shaped flange being adapted to engage the spread wristportion of a glove and press it against said ring.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which there are fivefinger-receiving members, having a wedge-shaped member surrounding theparts of the middle three members adjacent the base portion.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1, in combination with a connectingmember having an internally tapered receiving portion complementary tothe outer wall of the lower part of said base portion with at least onepassage therethrough communicating with said space, said receivingportion, by reason of its taper, having a larger and a smaller end, aprojecting cup-shaped flange around said receiving portion openingtowards the larger end thereof and having a. free edge, the free edge ofsaid cup-shaped flange being adapted to engage a said wrist portion of aglove and press it on to a ring of an apparatus when a connecting baseis secured thereto, said cupshaped flange having openings in the bottomthereof on opposite sides of said portion, and means to feed air to thepassage.

7. In combination with a device as claimed in claim 6, a powdercontainer having means to receive said connecting member and means todraw air outward through the passage thereof from the interior of aglove positioned on said device and to force air carrying powdertherewith through said opening inwardly of the glove on the outside ofthe finger-receiving members, said air drawing means including means todischarge air into the container to agitate the powder therein.

8. In a device as claimed in claim 7, an agitator. within the powderspace of the powder container in the path of said discharged air.

9. In a device as claimed in claim 7, in which the container includes apowder-holding space, said air forcing means comprising a bellowsconnected with said container and having pipes leading therefrom intothe powderholding space of the container so that air forced through saidpipes impinges directly on the powder.

Reierences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A DEVICE FOR HANDLING GLOVES DURING TESTING, WASHING, DRYING, DUSTINGAND THE LIKE COMPRISING A HOLLOW BASE PORTION HAVING AN UPPER END AND ALOWER END AND AN OUTER WALL AND BEING OPEN AT ITS LOWER END, THE OUTERWALL OF THE BASE PORTION TAPERING OUTWARDLY AS IT EXTENDS UPWARDLY AWAYFROM THE LOWER END, A PLURALITY OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC LATERALLY CLOSEDFINGER-RECEIVING MEMBERS EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER END OF THE BASEPORTION HAVING PASSAGES THERETHROUGH FROM END TO END COMMUNICATING